Rail-joint.



T. P. RICHARDS. RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 9, 1913.

1,062,034. Patented May 20, 1913.

WITNE SSES INVENTOR Thoma 6B Richard? I P I 05 i ATTORNEY:

THOMAS P. RICHARDS, OF CASTLE SHANNON,.PENNSYLVANIA.

RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 20, 1913.

Application filed January 9 1913. Serial No. 741,044.

citizen of the United States of America residing at Castle Shannon, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvement-s in RaiLJoints, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to rail joints, and the objects of my invention are to provide positive and reliable means, as hereinafter set forth for-preventing lateral and vertical displacement of the confronting or abutting ends of rails, and to provide novel splice bars that are interlocked and secured to ties, sleepers or other support-s whereby the rails of a track cannot spread.

Further ob 'ects of my invention are to provide splice bars that obviate the necessity of using bolts and nuts for a fastening means, and to accomplish the above results by a mechanical construction that is durable, inexpensive to manufacture and highly efficient for spacing apart ties, and maintaining rails thereon.

With the above and other objects in view the invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter specifically described and then claimed.

Reference will now be had to the drawing,

wvith reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein like numerals denote corresponding parts throughout: 1 denotes the confronting or abutting ends of rails that have the webs 2 thereof provided with transverse openings 8. The rails 1 rest upon ties, sleepers or other supports 4 with the confronting or abutting ends of the rails arranged between the ties or sleepers.

5 and 6 denote splice bars engaging the sides of said rails, said splice bars having the outer sides thereof provided with depressions 7 that form protuberances 8 upon the inner sides thereof, said protuberances extending into the openings 3 of the rails to prevent said rails from becoming longitudinally displaced relatively to said splice bars.

9 denotes lateral flanges forming part of the splice bars 5 and 6 and these lateral flanges are slit, as at 10 to provide end lateral extensions 11 that project onto the ties 4 and are secured thereon by spikes 12- or other fastening means. Those portions of the flanges 9, between the lateral extensions 11 are bent downwardly to form interlocking members 13 and 14, the member 13 having a longitudinal hook 15 the reverse of a longitudinal hook 16 forming part of the member 14. The hooks 15 and 16 are interlocked beneath the base flanges 17 of the rails, and after thesplice bar 6 and the rails have been placedin. position, the splice bar 5 can be interlocked with the splice bar 6 and then the ties 4L shifted beneath the lateral extensions 11.

One embodiment of my invention has been herein shown and described, but I would have it understood that the structural elements are susceptible of such changes, as in the size, shape and manner of assemblage as fall within the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim is A rail joint comprising a pair of splice bars, each of a length to extend upon a pair of ties and each having each end formed with a lateral flange mounted upon and adapted to be secured to a tie, each of said splice bars having the intermediate portion thereof overlapping the rail bases and depending below the bases and between the ties, said intermediate depending portions of a length equal to the distance between the ties, each of said intermediate portions being reversely curved with respect to each other and each having its lower terminus provided with a hook, said hooks being oppositely dispose-d with respect to each other and capable of interlocking whereby said intermediate portions are' secured together. each of said splice bars further provided with depressed portions to form protuberances and capable of engaging in the webs of the rails, the protuberances of one bar being arranged opposite and abutting against the protuberances of the other bar.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS P. RICHARDS.

Witnesses J. M. RICHARDS, MAX H. SRoLoViTz.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of latent Washington, I). 0. 

